2 minute read
CHAR: 60 seconds with Elaine Murphy of The Legal Eagle
The Legal Eagle is still relatively new to the Dublin restaurant scene, but has already garnered a loyal following and won awards, what makes the restaurant so special?
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It is special... We love it! I think it's got a feel that nowhere else in Dublin has, a kind of timeless elegance and a menu that just doesn't exist anywhere else. That proper pubby pieand-pudding-and-roast-and-oysters-and-eelsand-pickled-eggs style menu, it just doesn't exist here in Ireland. The added bonus of an exceptional (and now, internationally awardwinning) wine list and 20 craft beers on tap really makes it stand out from the crowd. When you walk in, it seems to hug you…
In an age of bottomless brunches, the Seriously Seventies lunch is a unique take on dining, what inspired it?
Oh, don't talk to me about bottomless brunch, I am so sick of the latest brunch menu! Of course, Eggs Benny have their place (in fact our waffles Benny in The Woollen Mills is one of my favourite brunch dishes in Dublin) but somehow, A, it's all been done and B, it just didn't feel right for The Eagle. When we realised that all our aspirations were for a throwback to more glamorous dining days, of fancy lunch with seafood in aspic and asparagus mousse, we realised what we were longing for was a long Sunday lunch from the 70s!
There are some quintessential 70s classics on the menu with prawn cocktails, kievs, fondue and Wibbly Wobbly Wonders all featuring — how important was it to give these a contemporary twist?
The 70s notwithstanding, nobody would want to eat that much mayo and gelatine and iceberg so we knew we had to bring it a little more up to date with some old techniques and some new produce. Hence the sea lettuce on the prawn cocktail and the Blacktairs Mountain lamb (albeit with Hasselback spuds and green beans almondine!)
What sort of crowd has this attracted so far?
All sorts. Real foodies love it. Young and old people on dates and assignations. Young people bringing mammy and daddy and granny out. It's so accessible, but also really exciting for food obsessives, which is a difficult thing to achieve!
What dishes do people need to try?
Old-School ‘Egg Mayo’ : Duck egg, house-made salad cream and celery.
The Legal Eagle Prawn Cocktail : Dublin Bay prawns, Marie Rose, sea-ice lettuce, tomato, avocado and samphire.
Lamb kidney Vol-au-vent: With house-made mustard and brandy cream.
Breaded Wicklow ‘Brie’ & Cranberry: Wicklow Baun cheese, Legal pickles and cranberry.
Blackstairs Mountain Lamb Wellington: With green beans almondine, Dauphinoise and lamb juices.
Slipper of Bacon: Pigs on the Green slipper of ham, Savoy cabbage, organic Irish spuds and parsley sauce.
Cheese Fondue: Three Irish cheese fondue, vegetable filo rolls, Waldorf salad.
Oh, and that Wibbly Wobbly Wonder ice cream? Please!
